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The Best Newborn Car Seats in the UK

Car seat safety is a top concern for every parent. There's a wealth of choices when it comes to finding the best newborn car seat for your little one.

With a soft baby-hugg inlay and enhanced side impact protection This Cybex Cloud T is the most comfortable car seat for newborns in the UK. It features a one-handed recline and 12 headrest positions to adapt to your child’s growing body.

1. Cybex Cloud T

The Cybex Cloud T is the premium car seat that has everything you need to take your infant on adventures from birth through to their toddler years. It's the most recent version of the legendary Cybex Cloud line and features an innovative reclining system that gives your child an ergonomic, flat position both inside the car and when used alongside a pushchair in the context of an overall travel system. It's also an ISOFIX vehicle seat, which means it can be easily affixed to your car by using the base supplied. It can even be rotated to assist you in helping get your baby in and out of the seat.

The car seat is made of top-quality materials and is available in a variety of trendy colors, including Moon Black, Lava Grey and Beach Blue Plus. It is a stylish and elegant option that works perfectly with the Cybex T range of prams. It also comes with the Newborn Inlay for newborns and premature babies that helps ensure a safe, near-flat position that minimizes the chance of their heads moving forward while they sleep, potentially leading to breathing difficulties. This can be removed once your child is at least 60 centimeters in height.

In terms of safety, the car seat offers superior protection for your child. It scored an impressive 1.7 result in crash tests conducted by ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutsche Automobil-Club e.V). The Cloud T i-Size comes equipped with LSP (Linear Side-impact protection) to safeguard your child in the event of a collision and the revolutionary Flexi-Fix system that can be stretched to fit your child's size as they develop.

If you're planning to use the car seat as part of a travel system that includes a Cybex pushchair, the unique 180deg rotation ensures that getting your baby in and out is easy. No more awkward twisting or reaching. The car seat can be placed in a fully reclined posture for extra comfort during long car trips. It's somewhat higher price than other car seats for this age group, however the extensive list of features, including the option to recline and the excellent safety features make it worth the money.

2. Maxi-Cosi Mica Eco Newborn Inlay: Seat Upgrade Pebble Plus

The Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat is one of the most sought-after newborn car seats available. It's a comfortable seat for babies and simple to use. It's suitable for babies from birth. It is compatible with the Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix, EasyFix base, or your car seat belt system. The car seat is also compatible with all pushchairs, including the Maxi-Cosi range as well as Quinny, iCandy and Bugaboo (using adapters). The Baby-Hugg infant support is included to ensure a better fit, laying in a position that is more comfortable, and provides side impact protection.

The Pebble Plus is a Group 0+ car seat, which means it is suitable for use with infants from birth to 12 months old (45cm between 45cm and 75cm). It is compliant with the new iSize regulations that require that children remain rear-facing for a longer period of time. It is compatible with the 2way Family base which allows you to switch between forward and rear facing on the same car and comes with a handy rotation feature.

It's still a very comfy seat, but the latest version has some improvements. It's now got a better baby-hugg that looks and feels super-comfy. The shoulder straps are well-cushioned and the headrest can be moved up and down as your baby grows. It is also possible to remove it at anytime if you wish to stop using it.

It is a little heavier at 4.5kg than other newborn car seats, but this shouldn't be a problem when your baby spends the majority of the day in it. It has a handle to make it easier to carry, and is lightweight enough to be carried into and out of taxis or rideshare vehicles.

It's also a fashionable seat that is stylish. You can choose from a variety of colours and patterns that are suitable for your car. It's not the most affordable car seat for infants, but it's still very reasonable and well worth the extra cost for your baby. Once you've mastered it and adjust the size and height is a breeze. You can adjust the straps by pulling downwards on the back panel, pressing two buttons at the same time.

3. Joie Calmi

Joie Calmi is a great newborn car seat for your newborn. It's simple to use, and can be used as a cot for baby. This dual-use carrycot and car seat is certified R129, meaning that it's built tough with a tough ventilated shell and plush cushioning to cradle your little one. It has a three-point safety harness that can be adjusted by a single pull and softly cushioned covers. It also features lateral positioning, which helps keep your baby's face in the most secure possible position in the event of impact.

The base of this seat is compatible with Joie's Aeria and Finiti pushchairs, meaning you can pop it off and put it back on easily. It's easy to move even when your baby is asleep, thanks to the adjustable handle bars. If you're looking to make a travel set, iBase Encore adapters let you to pair Calmi up with a MaxiCosi or Britax stroller.

Joie has improved the design of its earlier i-Spin 360, which earned an excellent score in Which?'s crash tests as well as a good rating from ADAC. The model we tested comes with an electronic lock that prevents you from rotating the seat too fast, ensuring that your baby remains rearward-facing as long as possible. It also has a huge sun canopy that's water resistant and provides 50+ UV protection and features a mesh peekaboo windows that lets you check in without disturbing your child.

If you're looking to purchase a car seat online, make sure you choose a store that provides free UK mainland delivery on all orders and returns within 35 days. John Lewis has a great range of newborn car seats from top brands, such as Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Silver Cross and offers free click and pick up to your nearest store (or to an Sainsbury's branch if you are nearby). You can also earn Nectar points on every purchase. Argos also has a wide range of car seats at prices starting at PS55. They'll also ship your order free of charge and offer same-day collection in-store and free returns at any Argos store or Sainsbury's branches.

4. Silver Cross Motion All Size 360

Silver Cross Motion is a new vehicle seat that's all-in-one from the reputable British brand that is known for its top pushchairs and prams. Jasper the tester was a fan of it. He said it was "the most stylish of the bunch and my child seemed to be most comfortable on long drives."

This fully rotating R129 compliant car seat is suitable for newborns up to 12 year olds. It was awarded the ADAC 2022 Autumn Test's award for the top child, baby and toddler car seat. It's also been tested over and beyond regulations to ensure your child will be safe on every journey.

It comes with a removable, cozy padded insert for newborns composed of soft bamboo fabrics. These bamboo fabrics are extremely breathable and antibacterial. The head support and body insert can be removed as your child grows and the 3 headrest positions and recline can also be adjusted to fit your child's.

A unique feature is the built-in 'green light' that lets you know that the car seat is properly secured and ready to use and is a great option for new parents who aren't familiar with the proper way to install and fit car seats. It also has a handy stowable harness which can be used in either the rear or forward-facing position.

Another big selling point is that it's a permanent fixture in the car, so you don't have to wake your sleeping newborn to get them out for long trips. It's not compatible with travel systems such as the Britax Romer Dualfix plus iSize or Joie iSpin 360 iSize. You will need to purchase a separate travel bag.

The Axkid One is a permanently fixed car seat. They're not as easy to move between cars. If you decide to purchase a separate travel bag pick one that is durable and can stand up to the wear and tear of regular use. It's worth paying more for a bag that will last as long as your child's car seat does.